The invention relates to a device that serves as a portable coffee brewer. More specifically it relates to a portable coffee brewer that is rugged, compact, and can embody multiple configurations based on a user's need.
Single serve coffee brewers have become extremely popular in home settings. Some of the best known examples are seen in the Keurig®, Senseo®, and Tassimo® systems. The systems each use a specially designed cup, sometimes described as a pod, to be placed within the brewer to brew a beverage when water is run through the pod. Over the past few years, the market for these brewers has grown so much that it is now one of the fastest growing segments of the home market. Consumers enjoy the convenience of brewing a single cup of coffee or tea rather than a whole pot and individuals within the same household can enjoy hot beverages of their own individual preference. While this market has become increasingly popular in the home setting, there is now a demand to take this convenience outside the home.
The problem with conventional coffee brewers is that they are designed for household or office use only. They are designed to only operate in indoor environments where they remain stationary, usually placed on a table or countertop. However, many people (construction workers and campers, for example) spend much of their day outdoors or in environments that are much harsher and require products that are specially designed to operate in a multitude of environments with extreme conditions. These devices need to anticipate frequent transportation, storage with other gears and supplies, frequent impact, weather conditions, various terrains, dirt, debris and various other outdoor environmental conditions. Conventional household appliances would not be practical for these environments. For example, many single serve coffee brewer have water tanks that would easily spill water it the device was carried to another location. Their designs do not anticipate operating in outdoor environments where there is a need to be extremely rugged, portable, stowable, and preventing the ingress of water, dirt or debris. This invention solves the problem by providing a more rugged, sealed, portable, and stowable system for brewing a beverage suitable for outdoor use. The above references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the above prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.